U.S. Pat. No. 3,059,031 discloses the preparation of pentanone-3 by reacting ethylene, carbon monoxide and water at a temperature above 100.degree. C. and a pressure above 100 atmospheres, in the presence of a catalyst, consisting essentially of at least one halide of a Group VIII noble metal of atomic number 44-78 and being present in an amount of at least 0.00001 mole per mole of ethylene. A preferred temperature range is indicated as being the range of 150.degree.-300.degree. C. and a preferred pressure is indicated as being pressure of at least 200 atmospheres.
Moreover, it is indicated in column 2, lines 38-64, of U.S. Pat. No. 3,059,031 that an organic derivative of a Group V element of atomic number 7 to 83, in the trivalent state, preferably is included in the catalyst system to enhance the effectiveness of the noble metal halide catalyst, such as phosphines, arsines and amines and more particularly pyridine, quinoline and phosphines such as triphenylphosphine.
It will be appreciated that an important disadvantage of such a process is formed by the applied high operational pressure, while moreover its conversion rate and selectivity towards the desired product cannot be regarded as satisfactory.
On the other hand from West German Application No. 2,445,193 a process is known for the preparation of diethylketone by converting ethylene, carbon monoxide and water, at a temperature in the range of 150.degree. C. to 300.degree. C. and an operational pressure in the range of 100 to 350 atmospheres according to page 3, third paragraph and the examples, preferably 200-350 atmospheres and in the presence of a virtually water immiscible solvent, e.g. aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, xylenes and chlorobenzene and ketones, and a ruthenium compound as catalyst, and more particularly rutheniumhalide or a hydrate thereof.
Such a process actually has the same disadvantages and/or imperfections as mentioned hereinbefore, while moreover the applied amount of ruthenium compound per mole ethylene is rather large.
Due to the still growing demand for cheaper ketones which are suitably used as solvents on a still increasing scale for a variety of industrial processes, there is ongoing research for an improved manufacturing process, which can be operated under more simple conditions and which leads to improved conversion rate and selectivity to wards the desired ketones.